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United Planets (Earth-7642)
The United Galactic Federation of Planets (abbreviated as UGFP and commonly referred to as the Federation '''or '''United planets) was an interstellar alliance, composed of planetary governments that agreed to exist semi-autonomously under a single central government based on the principles of universal liberty, rights, and equality, and to share their knowledge and resources in peaceful cooperation, scientific development, space exploration, and defensive purposes. It was originally composed of Earth and a large number of other planets in the Milky Way Galaxy. Its jurisdiction has never been determined, as at times, it seems to extend beyond the Milky Way and into other galaxies.( The Guardians guide to the galaxy) One of the most powerful interstellar states in known space, it encompassed eight thousand light years. The total number of formal member worlds was over one hundred and fifty. ( Adventure Comics, official handbook). Unlike its imperial rivals, who derived power from a single species subjugating other races, ( The guardians guide to the galaxy ; Adventure Comics Issue #1; History of the Amalgam Universe) the United Planets's various member worlds joined willingly and were equals in the United planets's democratic society. The United planets Starfleet was incorporated to maintain exploratory, scientific, diplomatic, and defense functions. History Main article: Federation history The Federation was founded in San Francisco, Earth in 2161. ( Adventures Into the Beyond, Zero hour)The seeds of the Federation were planted during the Galra Crisis of 2154, during which a temporary alliance was formed to Stop the expansion of the Galra Empire. It was this that first brought together the species that founded the Federation: Ultra-humans, Xandarians, Rannians, Bouthains, Alteans, Olkari, and Puigans. Sometime around January 2155, these four species as well as others, including the Denobulans, the Rigellians, and the Coridanites, began talks to create what was later considered a direct precursor to the Federation: the Voltron Coalition. ( Adventures Into the beyond, Countdown to crisis). The Ultra-Earth-Galra War, which broke out in 2156 and was won by an alliance of forces from Ultra-Earth, Arus, Rann, and Xandar in 2160, immediately preceded the foundation of the Federation, which took place the following year between dignitaries of these four planets. A week after the Battle of Galleria, at the end of the Bakura Incident, the Voltron Coalition, was reorganized into the Alliance of Free Planets. One month later, in the aftermath of the Nagai-Tof War, the Voltron Alliance was reorganized into the United planets, with the the official Declaration of a New Republic was issued by eight of the most important members of the Voltron Alliance, setting forth goals, values, and ideals of the new government. These eight individuals, Kin'thea Kiselbech of Chaadrila, Princess Allura of Altea, Rynder of Olkarion, Admiral Colluen Dey of Xandar, Sian Tevv of Sullust, Talek kor of Rann, Straullok of Vulcania, and Verrinnefra B'thog Indriummsegh of Elom, became the first members of the United planets provisional government, or the Provisional Council. Initially, Kin'thea Kiselbech chose to work against the Empire through diplomacy rather than combat, and the newly-founded United Planets dispatched envoys to thousands of worlds. Numerous systems joined the United planets, while many others instead declared themselves independent. Kiselbech's United planets, which was intended as a voluntary union for the common good, respected such decisions. Toward that same end, Kiselbech devolved control of Planetary Security Forces that had been nationalized by the Galra Empire to their own sectors via the Defense Declarations. Constituent sectors of the United Planets were obligated to contribute to the United planets's starfleet, but were allowed to retain command of their local forces. For some sectors, the Defense Declarations served as the deciding factor that motivated them to join the United Planets; furthermore, the United planets's defeat of the Tofs eased doubts that the United Planets would be able to defend there territory. Later Earliest History Kin'thea Kiselbech became the first Chief of State of the United Planets and also, under the new Charter, the President of the Senate and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. During her administration, the United Planets government remained very similar to that of the provisional government. The Inner Council continued to be at its head, but the Galactic Senate assumed the duties of the Provisional Council. Fighting a dictatorial Empire proved much easier than forming a confederation of planets. As the Galra Empire was slowly destroyed, many United Planets councilors began to think that the war was near an end. Political ambitions and individual pursuits for power or prestige began to creep into the new government. While this problem was slowly growing more serious, the threat of other dangerous Empires to rally against kept the Republic together. Despite more localized threats from Imperial warlords like Zsinj, by the end of 2166 nearly three-quarters of the Galra's former territories was aligned with the United Planets. Too many of the government's leaders thought the war was nearly over Although the United Planets's intentions were peaceful, around it were other, more belligerent powers such as the Khundian, Kree, Shi'ar and Skrull Empires. As it expanded through the admittance of more and more worlds, it came into conflict with these powers. In the 23rd century, its main adversary was the Khundian Empire, with war briefly erupting between the two in 2267, before being halted by the Organians. At some unknown point during the 2170s, Kin'thea Kiselbech resigned as Chief of State with her successors failing to command the same level of charisma and consensus that the elder stateswoman held among the Senate,while old Galra sympathizers in the Galactic Senate would inevitably depart from it once tensions flared, having briefly existed as part of the United Planets political process. While many applauded the notion, others realized that without United Planets oversight into their activities, a new and even greater threat could once more return to the galactic stage. At the start of the 24th century, the United Planets began an unprecedented period of peaceful exploration of the galaxy, free of major conflicts, as its main adversary of the previous century, the Khundian Empire, was now at peace with it. However, relations with the Skrulls, Kree, and Shi'ar remained hostile, albeit at a low, "cold war" level. There was also a series of local conflicts in the late 2340s as the United Planets came into contact with other races, such as the Thanagarians, the Kilrathi, the Kherubim, the Triceratons and the Kraang. Two unofficial but powerful factions known as the Centrists, who advocated a stronger galactic government and military, and the Populists, who believed that individual worlds should retain most authority, squabbled for control of the Senate and the United Planets. Due to the constant bickering, the United Planets was unable to enforce financial regulations and to undertake regular patrols of the galaxy's shipping lanes. This indecisiveness facilitated the resurgence of several criminal cartels including the Orion Syndicate, which preyed on shipping in the Gaulus sector that housed the planet Rykorth. Then, however, the period of peaceful exploration came to an abrupt end. The United Planets made Contact with the Dominion, the predominant ruling power over much of the Gamma Quadrant. After numerous skirmishes, misfortunes suffered by the Thanagarian Empire allowed for their eventual incorporation into the Dominion, and the subsequent Dominion invasion of the Alpha Quadrant. The Dominion/Thanagarian forces were also joined by the Kilrathi, the Kherbuim, and the Triceratons. The ensuing war was the greatest crisis to be faced by the Federation, with the Federation forming an alliance with the Khunds and Skrulls to defeat the Dominion. Political infighting hampered the United Planets's response to the crisis early on, as ambitious councilors like Borsk Fey'lya sought to gain power at the expense of others. Although the Alliance eventually emerged victorious, many of the United Planets's important member worlds, such as Betazed, Coridan, and Benzar, had been temporarily occupied before the Dominion's offensive could be turned back. However, the aftermath of the Dominion invasion allowed the Federation to establish new relations with many of its former adversaries, the Skrulls and Sh'iar in particular. In 2379, cooperation took place between the crew of a United Planets Starfleet vessel, the USS Enterprise-E, and Sh'iar forces to defeat the Reman Praetor Shinzon, whose actions would have destroyed both Earth and the Shi'ar Empire. It was hoped that this would mark the beginning of an end to hostility between the United Planets and the Sh'iar Empire, marking the beginnings of détente with a traditional enemy of the Reorganization and reform Upon the successful recapture of Coalia in 2374, the Galactic Senate began the first of a series of government restructuring programs. Specialized councils were established, each with greater power than ordinary Senate committees and given the responsibility for a specific aspect of government. These included the Council on the Common Defense, the Council on Security and Intelligence, the Justice Council, the Ministry Council, the Council on Science and Technology, and the Commerce Council. The Inner Council was replaced by the Ruling Council consisting of the chairpersons of each of the eight Senate councils. The Ruling Council had the authority to remove the Chief of State from office to prevent the head of government from becoming too powerful. Despite the growing mistrust between certain elements within the United Planets, It Publicly remained a Benevolent Power, upholding the ideals of freedom and democracy. The Wartime Chief of State, Eleys Mule retired from public life, and the Calibop senator Ponc Gavrisom was elected Chief of State. During his eight year long tenure. Peace, and Exploration once again thrived, and a new round of major government restructuring marked the beginning of a new period for the New Republic. The power of government was shifted more to the local, planetary, system, sectoral, and regional levels to avoid the centralization of power that marked the Early United Planets era. The Galactic Senate's role was thus reduced to little more than providing for the common defense and mediating inter-system disputes. While any legislation passed by it was still binding, the new limit of one bill per delegation per year prevented gridlock, since any proposed legislation would have to pass the scrutiny of both the committee in which it was introduced as well as the full Senate. Another development made during the restructuring was the creation of the United Planets Observers, an organization that functioned much like the Legion of Superheroes during much of the United Planets. The job of the Observers was to move about the United Planets and to report to the Senate what they saw or heard, especially with regard to improper government activities that local authorities preferred to keep out of sight. Also, the Treaty of Elon, forced many of the Gamma quadrant Powers to be shrunk to a mere rump states surrounding there initial homeworlds. In 2383, The USS Voyager discovered the Hydian Way, which spanned the entire north-east width of the galaxy. This allowed the United Planets and other Alpha and Betta powers to expand past the Slice into the worlds of the Mid and Outer Rims, and also led to the discovery of more hyperspace routes, including the Coyellian Trade Spine, thus starting the Second Expansion Wave. The Next year the Almuniti Way, was discovered which led the Galactic Powers to galaxies outside the 23 known ones. This Lasted for another two decades. A rivalry developed between the United Planets and the Kree Empire of Hala, to the extent that a war occurred between the races. The war lasted for more twenty two. In 2396 (2014), a peace agreement was reached and rioting broke out throughout the Kree Empire. The rioting soon developed into terrorism, as Galen Kor the Accuser, one of the Kree Empire's most powerful military figureheads, led a rogue sect of Kree militia forces to cripple, if not destroy, the United Planets. The Xandarians were the primary targets, as by this period they were technically the most influential species in the United Planets, and various United Planets worlds were annihilated in Ronan's assault. Nova Corps leader Nova-Prime Irani Rael, and Chief of State Winema Wazzo called the Kree Ambassador asking for testimonial condemning Galen's murderous actions across the galaxy, but due to Galen's connection to the Kree military forces, the Nova Empire's pleas were ignored. Soon, Galen's terrorist war reached its climax when, through a deal with the alien god Darkseid, he came into possession of an Infinity Stone. Leading an army of Sakaarans against the then capital-Xandar, Galen nearly succeeded in using the stone to destroy the entire planet, but was thwarted and killed by the Guardians of the Galaxy. Changing of the guard The end of the Kree-Federation War saw many worlds finally choosing an allegiance, with many joining the United Planets. As the United Planets grew more and more powerful, many of the bureaucrats and Senators that ran the government grew increasingly corrupt or complacent. The bureaucracy that had grown and festered over millennia choked any attempt at effective government. Furthermore, patron politics and personal agendas also hampered effective governing, and due to the increasing collusion of decadent governmental agents and politicians with favored groups. In the subsequent election, Borsk Fey'lya was elected Chief of State with a three-fifths majority. Many other long term members of the Senate resigned as well as military leaders like Irani Rael and Hiram Drayson. Unfortunately, these senators, beings of high principle and former exploratory leaders, were replaced by senators of lesser principle, and the infighting of the previous decade was seen again. Government and politics Membership in the United Planets The United Planets was a voluntary confederation organized on democratic principles under the United Planets Common Charter and in accord with the ideals and purposes embodied in the Declaration of a New Republic. Primary (voting) membership was available to any independent sovereign political entity representing one or more unified planetary populations, or to other recognized and definable territories, such as the surviving Tandorians. Membership followed an application process (during which the candidate member reviewed the Charter and other governing statutes and agreed to abide by them) and an assessment process (during which the candidate member's annual support contribution was determined). Affiliate (non-voting) membership was available to subordinate political units (for example, the individual members of a league of worlds) and to duly recognized representatives of sentient species not constituting a political unit. Observer (non-voting) membership was available to nonmember allies of the United Planets. The Declaration of a New Republic set forth the principles to which the united planets was dedicated; the common Charter was the actual mechanism by which planets became members, and specified both the rights and duties of members, and the various institutions of government and their powers. The common charter was a creation of the transitional Provisional Council. Worlds applying to join the united planets submitted Articles of Membership, while worlds wishing to leave the United Planets did by submitting Articles of Withdrawal. Legislative branch The government of the United Planets was organized around a unicameral legislative body called the Galactic Senate, replacing the United Planets Provisional Council. Each member state (system governments) returned a representative (a senator) to a central legislative body (the Senate). Senators were the ambassadors of their homeworlds, and member worlds were able to maintain their government and society in accordance with local beliefs, customs, and traditions. There was a wide variety of different local governments along the political spectrum: from monarchies to republics to hive-like communes. In some systems, the senator was elected to that post; in others, the world government appointed the senator. Berhert's monarch appointed their senators, while the Alderbaran Council of Elders elected their senator out of their own ranks (usually the heir to the Royal House of Orren, as the heir, was also the leader of the council). Senators received one vote in all matters—procedural and substantive. As a body with a large and potentially unlimited membership, the Senate-in-whole was an almost impossibly unwieldy structure for getting work done. Consequently, most of the real governance was performed by the Senate's councils, committees, and commissions. The daily business of the Senate proper was primarily speech-making and public debate. When the Senate met as a committee of the whole, it was sometimes referred to as the United Planets Assembly. Councils were appointed bodies with autonomous decision-making and appropriation authority over some segment of government operations outside the Senate proper (for example, the Defense Council, which oversaw the Navy). The most populous and powerful members of the United Planets were disproportionately represented on the Senate's councils. Committees were elected bodies with the authority to administer various aspects of Senate operations, including the general budget. They were semi-autonomous; in the event of a unanimous committee vote, the approval of the Senate-in-whole was not required (however, the Senate-in-whole could override a less-than-unanimous committee decision with a three-to-five majority). Although legislation passed by the Senate was binding to all member worlds, most of the everyday legislation followed by citizens of the United Planets was created at the planetary, sector, or regional level. Therefore, the main functions of the Senate were to mediate disputes between members, provide for the common defense, and regulate inter-system trade. Executive branch Main article: Chief of State (United Planets) The United Planets was headed by the Chief of State. The Chief of State was elected by fifty percent and one vote majority of the Senators. The Chief of State was also the President of the Senate and Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet, although that title was sometimes used to refer to the highest ranking member of the military. Tradition varied on the proper form of address for the President. Kin'thea Kiselebech preferred "Chief of State," but the address varied under Winema Wazzo depending on context. In general, Senators, the Senate bureaucracy, and the Trantori media referred to the President, while the General Ministry, member worlds, and the population of the New Republic often referred to the Chief of State, depending on local languages and history. The President could be recalled by a majority vote of the Senate on presentation of a petition of no-confidence by a majority of the Ruling, or Inner, Council, or by a quarter of the primary members of the Senate. The election of a President could be blocked by the Ruling Council on a unanimous vote. In practice, the power of the Ruling Council to void an election and initiate the recall of a sitting President meant that any candidate proposed by or approved by the Ruling Council was likely to be elected by the Senate. The Ruling Council consisted of the chairmen of the Senate councils and the President of the Senate. The President could select any member of the Ruling Council to conduct the business of the Senate in her absence from that body. If the president became incapacitated, incommunicado, or died, the chairman of the Ministry Council selected an acting Chief of State from among the following: any former President, the current Minister of State, any former Minister of State. The day-to-day running of government was done by the General Ministry, the bureaucracy of the United Planets, led by a First Administrator. It was organized into several large permanent Ministries, smaller task-oriented service Agencies, and several semi-independent Institutes. The various Senate councils had oversight and financing authority over the corresponding Ministries. The Cabinet consisted of the heads of the various ministries and was headed by the Minister of State. This body was the link between the Chief of State and the Ministries. Judicial branch The Court of Justice was the judicial branch of the United Planets. The members of the Court of Justice were selected by the Senate Justice Council from a list of nominees presented by the President of the Senate. The First Justice was elected by the other members of the Court from among their number. Nominally independent, the power of the Court of Justice was limited by its narrowly defined jurisdiction: to review charges of violations of the Charter by members or by the other branches of the United Planets's government. The Court of Justice did not serve as the court of last appeal for ordinary civil and criminal cases; those were settled by local judicial authorities on member worlds Military The Military of the United Planets, was divided into five Branches, the Combined Defense Forces, The United Planets Starfleet, The United Planets navy, the Grand Army of the United Planets, and The United Planets Special Forces. The Combined Defense Forces of the United Planets was the military arm of the United Planets. At its peak, it operated five full fleets, each consisting of hundreds of warships, transports, and support vessels, divided into battle groups and task forces, in addition to ground troop divisions and starfighter wings. The fleets were known collectively as the United Planets Defense Fleet, although many referred to it as the United Planets senior Navy. After the reorganization of the military into a single unified command, the former Minister of Defense was called the Supreme Commander, and the posts of Minister of the Army and Minister of the Navy were abolished. The Supreme Commander, appointed by the Defense Council with the approval of the President of the Senate, led the Defense Force. He reported to the Chief of State. Starfleet was the deep-space exploratory and defensive service maintained by the United Galactic Federation of Planets. Its principal functions were the advancement of United Planets knowledge about the galaxy, the advancement of Federation knowledge of science and technology, and the defense of the United Planets. In addition, it also played a significant diplomatic role. As per its mandate of deep-space exploration, its personnel were frequently brought into contact with cultures and sentient species whose existences were previously unknown to the United Planets. United Planets Starfleet officers therefore acted as official representatives of the United Planets in these cases. Also, United Planets Starfleet vessels were frequently used to ferry ambassadors on diplomatic missions. The Nova Corps served as the police force of the United planets, led by an individual holding the rank of Nova Prime. The Nova Corps primarily served as a Police Force and law enforcement agency similarly to the Kree Accuser Corps, and are tasked with patrolling the sectors of the United Planets. And Being a paramilitary Group. Following the Galactic Concordance, the Galactic Senate enacted the Military Disarmament Act that drastically reduced the United Planets military to a smaller peacetime force. The Act had originated as an initiative of Chief of state Ponc Gavriosm, who believed that a demilitarized galaxy was conducive to lasting peace and freedom. In the years after the Battle of Galleria, the United Planets established a series of academies on several worlds including Chaadrila to replace the old network of Galra Academies. One notable graduate was the starfighter pilot Joph Seastriker. About twenty four years after the events on Galleria, at least one Centrist senator regarded the United Planets academies as inferior imitations of their Imperial predecessors. As a result, the study programs of the Old Empire's Academies were reintegrated into the curriculum of Academies based on Centrist worlds. Reflecting the United Planets's anti-militaristic ethos, its soldiers wore simple jackets, trousers, and little armor that were designed not to instill terror and awe, while also having a Digital Warfare Department within the Starfleet. Some of the peacetime functions of the United Planets Starfleet including patrolling galactic shipping lanes and escorting Senators on government business. While the United Planets Starfleet had enough resources to defend the entire galaxy in peacetime, several Centrist senators like Erudo Ro-Kiintor frequently lobbied for more government funding to be diverted for planetary defenses; a pretext for earmarking funding to Centrist worlds. The United Planets military was also led by a Fleet Admiral and United Planets Command. Society and Culture The United Planets had a very diverse culture. Member worlds were able to maintain their own culture in accordance with local beliefs, customs, and traditions. There was a wide variety of different cultures within the United Planets from religious communities like the Universal Church of Truth to hive-like communes. The United Planets had a liberal policy towards arts also. The dominant aesthetic style of was opulence and ornamentation. Economy The United Planets's influence on the galactic economy was linked to its regulatory powers, production of United Planets authorization of relevant bodies. At the heart of the galactic economy was the planetary trade. The Interplanetary trade could support a local economy, but, in many cases, the high levels of economic interaction and the massive scale of exchange required for an advanced society could only be funded by interplanetary exports. While some planets maintained their own shipping fleets, most relied on large freight firms, such as Xizor Transport Systems, or independent freight haulers to carry their goods along major hyperlanes. While the its economy was based on free trade and promoting prosperity, the United Planets the free trade of most forms of spice. However, it allowed the sale and trade of weak forms of spice that could be mined and grown on numerous worlds. The United Planets's prohibition on illegal and dangerous forms of spice annoyed crime lords and smugglers like Yondu Udonta, who made a living out of trafficking illicit spice. Despite this the United Planets did engage in trade with friendly powers and organizations.